The new Greens have been repeatedly thwarted in their attempts to register the party, their meetings have been violently broken up or blocked by police and their leader has had anonymous death threats.

The central African nation has won international praise for its green record and is the host of this year's UN World Environment Day.

"But through police harassment and intimidation they are stopping us registering the party," said party leader Frank Habineza.

The politician, formerly an official with the Rwandan Patriotic Front, has also had a series of death threats, culminating in a recent front page in the newspaper 'Umeseso' headlined, "Frank Habineza to be killed in 60 days".

The report, which cited anonymous sources, claimed security agents would target the politician.